I have trouble understanding guns sometimes. I have a 700BDL SS in 300RUM. I have tried all kinds of powders, seating depths, and factory loads. Still can't get groups down below 1.5". And thats letting the gun cool 10 minutes between shots, and cleaning every 5 rounds. Pillar bedded and trigger set to 2.5lbs. The COL with Nosler PT 180g is 3.750"
touching the lands. With Speer GS 180g, the COL is 3.660" according to my Stoney point.

Saw a tactical 700 with bull barrel, bipods, sling, Leupold Vari-III 6-20X50 and H-S stock in 300RUM for 1100 dollars that the owner said only had 20 rounds thru it. So I take to the range to compare. First 5 shots had 4" groups. I was so disappointed. So I cleaned, and this thing had copper build up so bad, it took me a half hour to clean out. So, next 4 rounds got .8" groups and 2.5" higher. Guy didn't know how to clean or break in, I guess. At 200 yards, I got 2" groups shooting one round after the other, no cool down. Went home an measured the COL with my Stoney Point, and its worse than the BDL. With same noslers, it is 3.810" and 3.706" with Speers But shot great with Factory ammo with COL at 3.55". I don't know if its the bedding on the new gun, the bull barrel or combination but I have never got a gun shooting well with the bullet seated .04" from the lands. Only deeper like .15" from the rifleing. Anybody got any thoughts.

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Originally posted by bigcountry:
I have trouble understanding guns sometimes. I have a 700BDL SS in 300RUM. I have tried all kinds of powders, seating depths, and factory loads. Still can't get groups down below 1.5". And thats letting the gun cool 10 minutes between shots, and cleaning every 5 rounds. Pillar bedded and trigger set to 2.5lbs. The COL with Nosler PT 180g is 3.750"
touching the lands. With Speer GS 180g, the COL is 3.660" according to my Stoney point.

Saw a tactical 700 with bull barrel, bipods, sling, Leupold Vari-III 6-20X50 and H-S stock in 300RUM for 1100 dollars that the owner said only had 20 rounds thru it. So I take to the range to compare. First 5 shots had 4" groups. I was so disappointed. So I cleaned, and this thing had copper build up so bad, it took me a half hour to clean out. So, next 4 rounds got .8" groups and 2.5" higher. Guy didn't know how to clean or break in, I guess. At 200 yards, I got 2" groups shooting one round after the other, no cool down. Went home an measured the COL with my Stoney Point, and its worse than the BDL. With same noslers, it is 3.810" and 3.706" with Speers But shot great with Factory ammo with COL at 3.55". I don't know if its the bedding on the new gun, the bull barrel or combination but I have never got a gun shooting well with the bullet seated .04" from the lands. Only deeper like .15" from the rifleing. Anybody got any thoughts.

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Bigcountry..It seems that some guns just LOVE to be DIFFERENT!!!!the chamber neck/lande area can be a few thousandths different and the gun will like the bullet ogive seated into the lands and change the specs and the new chamber will like a little "jump" to engage the rifling...I have seen some guns that have a short mag length that has the large jump and they shoot factory ammo great!!!on others single loading a longer seated bullet is less accurate and the next one it shoots even tighter.....the bull barrel will ofter make it easier for finding good loads in some guns...they seem to take more variances than some lighter barrels and if it were me I would switch brands/styles of bullets and try some with a different ogive location and see if that will tighten up the groups after adjusting for a new seating depth....also recheck the scope/mounts and torque on the stock screws and see if these are tight or in the stock too tight????good luck and good shooting!!!